Höglund and the Left Norwegians (and what about the
Danes?) must procure an invitation themselves. They should
send their statements, requests and declarations to us (for
the C.C.) in writing, signed and stamped, in one of the
three international languages.

Very warm regards to Alexander (why is he only
criticising my
draft?[2] Let’s have your amendments, s’il vous
plaît!)—and to you for your successful work among the Left
in Scandinavia.

I think it is hardly likely that the conference will
materialise soon, if at all. However, let Höglund prepare, seriously
and urgently.

But are they willing to have a joint manifesto with us
on behalf of the Left in the various countries (independently
of the conference)?

Notes

[1]Instead of a second preliminary meeting at Zimmerwald, the
conference proper was held there from September 5 to 8, 1915.
It was the scene of a struggle between revolutionary
internationalists led by Lenin, and the Kautskyite majority. Lenin organised
his supporters into the Zimmerwald Left, a group in which the
Bolshevik Party was alone in consistently following a correct and
internationalist line against the war.

The conference adopted a manifesto, which declared the war
to be imperialist, condemned the behaviour of the “socialists”
who voted for the war credits and took part in bourgeois
governments, and called on the workers of Europe to campaign against
the war, for a peace without indemnities and annexations.

The conference also adopted a resolution expressing sympathy
with the victims of war and elected an International Socialist
Commission (I.S.K).

On the significance of the Zimmerwald Conference, see Lenin’s
“The First Step” and “Revolutionary Marxists at the
International Socialist Conference, Sept. 5–8, 1915” (present edition,
Vol. 21, pp. 383–88 and 389–93).